Chapter 61: Time's Up, Sister

Eve~

Lia left for the day, and I saw her off. I closed the door behind me and rested against it for a moment. I appreciated her help, and though I did feel a bit lighter after each session, I still felt like I was being drowned under a torrent of negative emotions.

My phone call with my mom just a day ago still had me spiraling. She had been my mother for a moment—her soft voice, her warm tone, her loving cadence—but it had all melted away in a single second, right after my father interrupted. The kindness hadn't seemed rehearsed the way her coldness had. It was almost as though she were playing a role.

The implications filled me with both hope and dread, a strange mix that left me nauseous.

Just then, my phone rang, and a lump formed in my throat. I looked around the room, not sure what I was searching for. Was it a coincidence? Was I being watched?